what

Hey Martha,<BR>Smell Me!!<BR>I had a similar seating experince and when quetioned they told me first come first served! Is an 11 month advance reservation first enough??<BR>No one is attacking your country-just your pompous airline.<BR>

Martha

Maybe it's different in other countries, but here you do not reserve a particular seat... an 11 month (or any amount of time in advance) reservation only guarantees you a seat - not seat 10c, or whatever it is you are desperate for. Most airlines (and not just UK based ones) will generally prioritise you with a doctor's letter, so maybe you could try that next time.<BR><BR>Oh, and ... a) I'm not British, I just live here: b) I wasn't having a go at you, just stating facts, so it would be nice if you didn't retaliate with such force; and c) I never fly BA - I think their service is poor, and their flights overpriced- I'd always use another airline if there was one flying the same route.<BR>

Ann

BA has really gone downhill in the past 5 years. The last 3 times I've flown them, the flights have all been badly overheated and the restrooms have smelled worse than an outhouse. BA also does very little to assist you if you miss a connection, even if it was their fault (mechanical failure). The last time I flew with them was their last chance. I'm sticking with United and Virgin.

Paula

We flew British Air and they were fine. The food was actually good going over (we requested low cholestral meals and got seabass out of Seattle), but only so-so coming back. The service was fine and the planes were on schedule. I'd fly them again.

BabyJane

In my experience B.A. don't pre-allocate seats on their transatlantic services but I've always been able to put in a request for a window seat when checking in for New York and they've always found one for me. I have had no problems with the food or the service. Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport, reached its full capacity sometime ago but plans are now afoot to build a fifth terminal and perhaps more runways. I can't see what the problem is in being bussed out to the airplane. I've seen that happening everywhere in the world. If you feel that walking to your gate is diffcult for you, you can always arrange for one of these cute little buggies with the flashing lights on top to take you there.

Suzy

Between United and BA... BA wins without even trying. I can't tell you how many nightmare United stories I have... Just a random sample: After a year and a half, I'm still sending them faxes asking them for a refund on a ticket (I changed flights, and they were too busy at the desk in the small airport to issue me a refund so asked me to go through the central United "customer service" department). Or how about the time I paid for a fully flexible economy ticket from London to Denver(not cheap!) and was put in the middle of the middle row at the back of the flight. I'm talking third in a row of five! And I'm a premier member on United, and had requested an aisle seat in advance. Or how about the fact that if even if I fly business class between NY and LA on United, I cannot use the United lounge! (Whereas being a silver member of BA, I can use their lounges anywhere in the world, even if I'm not flying BA!) Not to mention the time United was delayed in their flight so I missed my connecting overseas flight (with BA) but United did absolutely nothing to help, and the ground staff were terribly rude to me when I asked them for help, as in "where should I go, whom should I talk to", whereas when I went over to BA, they went out of their way to walk me around to the various desks I needed to go to in order to get re-routed. (Bear in mind that Denver is the United hub, and the BA people had to stay late to help me as they were closing down after their international flight left). Shall I continue? <BR><BR>Also, since 9/11, United service/planes seem to have gotten worse, not surprisingly, given their extremely precarious financial condition. <BR><BR>I do have some BA stories, too, but if I were to put all my horrible airline stories on a list, the United one would be much longer and weightier than almost any other airline that I fly. <BR><BR>Between BA and Virgin, in economy not too much difference any more, for a while Virgin was miles better. In Business class, Virgin has probably slightly better service, even though BA now has the lie-down beds on most of its routes (sadly not the Denver-London route yet). But BA has better routing for the most of the flights I need to take, so... <BR> <BR>I suppose going back to the original posting, the following holds true for no matter what airline you fly: Economy class is not comfortable and has little or no leg room. Order a special meal to get something edible. Bring your own earplugs. <BR><BR>No matter what class you fly, be happy that you take off and then land safely in your destination... at the end of the day, that is what makes for a good flight. <BR>

Tina

Thank you everyone for all your replys. They sure d not reassure me on the comfort level. Since we have flown to Europe before but never on BA I was wishing for better service and leg room.I guess it was ust a dream though!

LarryLamb

God, what a bunch of wusses and BIG BABIES you all are.... ooohhh the lady on the check in desk was mean to me,,, oooooh we had to all go up down an escalator to get to our flight.... ooooohhh the B.A. sales lady I spoke to on the phone didn't offer to come on over and lick my boots....oooohh we had to get walk across the tarmac to get to the airplane...:You are passing thru one of the biggest airports in the world and flying with one of the biggest airlines in the world.. do them both a favor and SHUT THE HELL UP AND GROW UP.

Oohwee

LarryLamb,<BR>Do you feel better now??

Barb

BA is pretty cramped. I try to stick with AA if at all possible with their new seat configuarations which give more legroom. Since you have your tix - suggest trying to get a bulkhead or emergency row - also I think its either a 2-5-2 or 3-4-3 config in economy - suggest you see how full the flight is and of possible try to see if you can block a middle seat..do you have status?

STANDUPFORMYRIGHTS

Whenever somebody lies to me or tries to take advantage of me or does not deliver to me what I have a right to insist upon, then I am never going to take it.<BR><BR>Airlines rely on people putting up with their lies, their half truths, their failures to provide service on people acting like lambs being led to the slaughter. When they pull that garbage on me, I immediately insist on speaking to a supervisor and on almost every occassion, if I had kept quiet, I would have been bumped or otherwise unfailry been taken advantage of. <BR><BR>One time in Las Vegas several years ago, upon checking in for my American West flight, I was told that since I had been listed as a no show for my original flight, my return flight reservation had been cancelled and that unfortunately the flight was totally booked but they would put me on the first available flight.<BR><BR>I told them that was a crock of you know what and began yelling and cursing and demanding to see a supervisor. This supervisor told me the same thing. I demanded to see the tariff regulations that listed the priorities for boarding. I show her the ticket which clearly indicated HK. I told her that if she didn't enter the override code onto the computer and put me on my flight, I would call the police and charge them with breach of contract.<BR><BR>Guess what....she did it. If I had quietly taken their crap, I would never have gotten on the flight.<BR><BR>Airlines rely on people taking this garbage in order to enforce crowd control. It is up to you to stand up for your rights and demand to see a supervisor to get what you deserve.<BR><BR>If you are treated badly or unfairly, what is so terrible about sticking up for what you are due?